The busiest time of year has already begun. Halloween candy was marked down on November 1st to make room for the Christmas displays. But I can’t let myself find the holiday mindset just yet. Other things must come first.
Before we deck the halls and trim the tree, we observe Thanksgiving. This holiday proclaimed by Abraham Lincoln didn’t mention shopping or football, only giving thanks for our blessings, and I have been blessed in abundance.
I sometimes feel guilty for having so many blessings while others are having a difficult time. People I care about and people I don’t know suffer on a daily basis. They have lost loved ones. Their homes were destroyed by fire or flood. They struggle to make ends meet. They live in fear. They face injustice. They feel hopeless and helpless. So my prayers of thanksgiving are mingled with pleas for those who have not been fortunate.
And while I offer these prayers this November, I also take time to observe that other November holiday so often forgotten. Veterans Day.
I belong to a family of veterans. My father. My husband, My sons. Uncles. Cousins. A nephew. I always take time to remember them on November 11. And I add them to my Thanksgiving prayers and my everyday prayers as well. My prayers remember all veterans. These are the people who risked their lives to protect the life I am so blessed with.
May your Thanksgiving be a happy one, but also may it be a thoughtful one. While you remember your blessings, say a prayer for those who are not so blessed. And give thanks for the men and women who protect and defend.
